Looking at the young and tender face of the youth, the old man in the green shirt nodded kindly, "It seems the young clan leader's cultivation has improved again."
Xiao Yan smiled faintly, "Steward Mo, I just finished testing yesterday, how could it improve so quickly?"
"Hahaha, perhaps it's that the young clan leader gives people a feeling of being unstoppable."
Xiao Yan followed the old steward through the backyard, finally stopping outside the solemn reception hall. He respectfully knocked on the door before gently pushing it open and entering.
The hall was very spacious, with quite a few people inside. Seated at the very top were Xiao Zhan and the three clan elders, whose power was no less than that of the clan leader.
Below the four, on their left-hand side, sat some of the elders in the family who had a voice and were not weak in strength. Beside them were some of the younger generation who had performed outstandingly in the family.
When Xiao Yan arrived, all the younger generation greeted him with smiles.
"Young clan leader."
"Good morning, young clan leader."
"Young clan leader, your cultivation has improved again."
"Hehe, Yan'er, you're here. Come, sit down." Seeing Xiao Yan's arrival, Xiao Zhan nodded at him and waved his hand.
Xiao Yan nodded with a smile and walked straight to the seat below the Third Elder. Xiao Yan's status was now almost the same as that of an elder, one could say they were on equal footing. Beside Xiao Yan's seat was Xun Er.
Xun Er's status in the Xiao clan was very peculiar. Although she had no power within the clan, even the clan leader Xiao Zhan was very polite to Xun Er, to the extent that she could do whatever she wanted.
What surprised Xiao Yan a bit was that the distinguished guests Xiao Zhan mentioned were actually two old men and a girl about his age.
The girl's appearance was even more beautiful than Xiao Mei's. In this family, perhaps only Xiao Xun Er, who was like a green lotus, could compare to her.
A green jade pendant hung from the girl's delicate earlobes, emitting a crisp jade sound as it swayed slightly, revealing a hint of nobility. In addition, three golden stars were embroidered beside the girl's already developing exquisite little chest.
Xiao Yan frowned, thinking, A three-star Dou Zhe. If this girl didn't rely on external objects to stimulate her, then she's an absolute genius, actually on par with my cultivation.
As expected of someone from the Yunlan Sect.
Xiao Yan's eyes sharpened as he saw the cloud and silver sword embroidered on the cuff of the girl's robe, and he knew that the girl came from the Yunlan Sect.
If the Xiao family was a local tyrant in Wutan City, then the Yunlan Sect could perhaps be said to be a hegemon of the entire Gama Empire.
Then the name of the girl before him was already obvious.
Nalan Yanran.
Simply put, she was Xiao Yan's betrothed.
What is she doing here?
Xiao Yan racked his brains but couldn't figure out why Nalan Yanran would run from the Yunlan Sect to this remote area for no reason.
He hadn't even come of age yet, so the engagement shouldn't be brought up now.
Nalan Yanran also saw Xiao Yan's arrival. To Xiao Yan's surprise, Nalan Yanran's eyes were filled with stubbornness, as if she had made some kind of resolution.
Nalan Yanran stood up and said in an extremely serious tone, "Clan Leader Xiao, I have come to the Xiao family today to break off the engagement!"
!!!!!!!!!!!!?? Everyone present was stunned. Not to mention the younger generation who were listening in, even the three elders and Xiao Zhan were dumbfounded.
Why are you doing this?
A betrothal was naturally decided by the elders, a betrothal made in the early years by Xiao Yan's deceased grandfather Xiao Lin and Nalan Yanran's grandfather Nalan Jie.
Xiao Zhan had recently corresponded with Nalan Jie, and both were very satisfied with each other's children.
Xiao Zhan knew last night that Nalan Yanran was coming, so he ran to the cliff to tell Xiao Yan to rest early, saying there might be something good.
Unexpectedly, reality was the opposite.
Xiao Zhan and the elders exchanged glances, unable to understand where things had gone wrong, and asked in confusion, "Nalan niece, are you mistaken? I just corresponded with your grandfather recently, and I didn't hear anything about breaking off the engagement."
Facing the questioning, Nalan Yanran did not retreat in the slightest, and said firmly, "This is something I decided myself, and it has nothing to do with my grandfather or the Nalan family."
Good heavens, no wonder Nalan Yanran only brought two old men from the Yunlan Sect to discuss matters. It turned out that this was like running away from home, a decision she made herself, pulling a few confidants along with her.
"Cough cough." Seeing the atmosphere so perplexing, an old man beside Nalan Yanran stood up and cupped his hands at Xiao Zhan, saying, "Hehe, Clan Leader Xiao, Yanran joined the Yunlan Sect five years ago and has shown excellent cultivation talent. The sect leader is very fond of her. The sect leader once said that cultivation is also cultivating the heart, and the most important thing for cultivators is to have a clear conscience. Therefore, I would like to ask Clan Leader Xiao to... dissolve this engagement."
*"Crack!"* The jade cup in Xiao Zhan's hand instantly turned into a cloud of powder.
The atmosphere in the hall was somewhat silent. If Nalan Yanran could still be acting on impulse, then Ge Ye would definitely not be acting on impulse. This was definitely a well-thought-out plan.
However, after a short while, countless gazes filled with murderous intent were fixed on Ge Ye and the other two. Not to mention Xiao Zhan and the other Da Dou Shi, even the younger generation of the family, some of whom were only at the fourth or fifth Duan of Dou Qi, gnashed their teeth.
Humiliation!
Xiao Yan, as their young clan leader, as the future light of their family, was their pride. Now, he was being publicly humiliated with a broken engagement! This slap was undoubtedly a heavy blow to the faces of all the Xiao clan members.
Ge Ye and the others felt as if they had fallen into a den of wolves, being stared at by a pack of vicious beasts. As long as the wolf king gave the order, everyone would pounce and take a bite, regardless of whether they were from the Yunlan Sect or not.
Xiao Yan possessed that kind of charisma.
Ge Ye said with a smile, "Clan Leader Xiao, we know that this request today is quite impolite, so I have specially brought an item as an apology."
After speaking, Ge Ye took out a jade box with a green glow from his storage ring, and a strange fragrance immediately filled the hall.
"This is Pill King Gu He's..."
Before Ge Ye could finish speaking, Xiao Zhan clenched his fists, and a faint cyan Dou Qi gradually covered his body, eventually forming a phantom lion's head.
This was the Xiao family's top-tier technique: Furious Lion Vajra! Rank: Mystic Middle-Rank!
Seeing Xiao Zhan's reaction, Ge Ye was also shocked. His eagle-like hands suddenly curved, and cyan Dou Qi gathered in his claws, emitting tiny and sharp sword Qi.
Yunlan Sect's profound technique, Azure Wood Swordplay! Rank: Mystic Low-Rank!
As the auras of the two collided, the wooden box in Ge Ye's hand also fell to the ground, and a pill the size of a longan rolled out of the wooden box.
But unexpectedly, no one in the Xiao clan even glanced at the pill that had rolled onto the ground. The Xiao clan's anger even surpassed the pill's strange fragrance.
Ge Ye glanced at the pill on the ground and then at the eyes of everyone around him. In the face of such a rare treasure, none of these people showed greed in their eyes, only anger.
Finally, Ge Ye looked at the young man sitting aside, as if he were an outsider, constantly drinking tea without saying a word.
He, Ge Ye, had misjudged. This young man could actually unite the entire family. What kind of means was this! Even in the Yunlan Sect, the sect was divided into factions, and not everyone listened to the sect leader.
"Yanran, why don't we go back and discuss this further?"
With a *smack*, Nalan Yanran stepped forward and said in a serious tone, "I joined the Yunlan Sect five years ago, and following the sect leader in cultivation has made me understand one thing. My Nalan Yanran's life is determined by myself, and who I marry is decided by me, Nalan Yanran!"
The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became quiet, and even Ge Ye was taken aback by Nalan Yanran's determination.
*Clap clap clap*, a burst of applause suddenly rang out in the arena. Looking over, it was actually Xiao Yan applauding.
"To be the master of one's own destiny, not bad. I, Xiao Yan, also have someone I love, so this marriage should be annulled."
When he heard Xiao Yan say that he had someone he loved, Xun Er's cheeks flushed red, and her heart even began to run wild with thoughts.
Xiao Yan always wore a confident smile that belonged to him, stood up from his seat, and looked at this 'fiancée' and said, "However, you have publicly made a request to my father to dissolve the engagement, then my father's face as the clan leader will be completely lost, and he will become a laughingstock in the future, and his prestige will be greatly diminished."
Xiao Yan's tone changed abruptly, and his eyes were even more frighteningly cold.
He didn't care about the engagement or not, but if the engagement that was set today could be broken so easily, how would their Xiao clan gain a foothold in the future?
"I, Xiao Yan, am not an unreasonable person either. One move, if you can withstand one move from me, then this marriage will be annulled."
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